Viewers loved ‘The Last Jedi,’ and it’s a good sign for Star Wars’ future

Jon Gitlin1 min read

The galaxy far, far, away continues to entertain us.

We’re of course referring to Star Wars, where the latest installment of the sequel trilogy, “The Last Jedi,” is captivating audiences globally. According to our survey, 89% of respondents who’ve viewed the film either love or like it.

But is it entertaining moviegoers across levels of Star Wars fandom? And are future Star Wars films positioned for success?

To help us find the answers to these questions, we surveyed 4,441 U.S. adults from SurveyMonkey Audience who’ve seen the film between December 15-19.

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The force is strong with this one

As mentioned earlier, a whopping 89% of respondents either love or like the film. But what stands out is the film’s general favorability, regardless of whether the moviegoer is a self-described “die hard” Star Wars fan or isn’t a fan at all.

Here are a few additional key findings:

89% of “normal” Star Wars fans either love or like the film

81% of respondents who aren’t a Star Wars fan either love or like it

Only 5% of non-Star Wars fans think the film is below average when compared to other Star Wars films

63% of “hardcore” Star Wars fans think the film is either above average or the best Star Wars film of all time

The franchise is safe

Think everyone is tired of Star Wars by now? We find your lack of faith disturbing.

53% of respondents would like to see the franchise come out with more films, while only a third think it’s time to call it quits. Couple this demand with the fact that “The Last Jedi” grossed nearly six hundred million dollars in the first month—second-fastest grossing movie of all time—and there’s little reason to give in to the dark side and halt production.

In fact, we’re starting to see Disney and Lucasfilm capitalize on the demand in new ways. The movie “Solo,” based on the beloved Star Wars character Han Solo, is set to release in May of this year.

In a space of its own

The Star Wars brand has developed an unrivaled level of success in its market both domestically and internationally. For example, when asking respondents to evaluate the different movie and TV franchises set in outer space, Star Wars was the most popular choice and trumped the second option—Star Trek—nearly three times over.

Whether Star Wars eventually focuses its films on individual characters or chooses to add to its trilogy, the franchise is set for continued popularity and success in the years to come.